Chapter 5: Four

There was a queue of carriages waiting to enter the grand palace; both Xavier and Theo sat restlessly in suffocating silence for an excruciating amount of time, all too nervous to even speak or move their bodies. Inch by inch, they rolled nearer to the imposing palace gates, like lambs on a conveyor belt to slaughter. 

“Do sheepherders use conveyor belts to deliver live lambs to the slaughterhouse now?” Theo asked quietly, befuddled by Xavier’s remark. 

“It’s just an analogy, are you dumb?” he rejoined, fixing his dainty evening gloves. 

“...thank you for making it all the way here, Viscount Canterbury. His Majesty is awaiting your arrival at the…” 

“...taking so long, why…” 

“...my apologies, but we have to…” 

Hearing snippets of a conversation taking place ahead of them, Xavier casually looked out of the window; he caught a worrying sight and frowned slightly.

“What’s wrong?” Theo said, noticing the subtle change in his expression. 

“Looks like there’s a checkpoint set up at the gates…I see a lot of soldiers searching the carriages up ahead.” 

“You have to be kidding me.” He leaned his head out of the window, turned to look in the direction of the palace, and instantly paled. “That’s like an entire battalion stationed there! H-have they caught wind of the heist?” 

“I don’t think so—or else the soldiers will all be spread out around the perimeter of the palace, not congregating at the gates,” Xavier said calmly in a low voice. “Most likely, they’re looking to see if there’re explosives being brought into the palace.” 

“Explosives?” Theo murmured. “So, they’re afraid the separatistsThey will be important in the later chapters will target Her Highness tonight…talk about bad timing.” 

“It’s not bad timing, though?” Xavier smiled. “The palace is currently preoccupied with a terrorist threat, their attention won’t be on the Crown Jewels.” 

“...leave it to you to find a silver lining out of every pickle, huh.” 

A commanding voice hollered at them just as they entered through the gates. “Halt!” 

“Relax, ease your facial muscles,” Xavier reminded Theo as a soldier marched towards the carriage. “You look as pale as a ghost.” 

“I know that,” he hissed back and quickly sat upright when the stern soldier’s face appeared at the window. 

“Our sincere apologies, distinguished guests of the empire, but we have to inspect your carriage before we can let you pass.”

Theo gave the soldier a curt nod. “Please do what you have to do.” 

He clicked the heels of his polished black boots together and bowed smartly. “At once, Sir!” 

The two didn’t dare to utter a word while the soldier bent down and thoroughly checked the underfloor of the carriage.

“Identification?” Another soldier began asking for the coachman’s documents at the front of the carriage while the inspection was underway. 

Theo’s eyes widened to frantically convey the message of ‘crap, I didn’t bring my documents along with me’. 

Xavier gave him an incredulous stare so as to say, ‘are you stupid? What use will our documents have when we’re pretending to be barony?’

Panic flashed in his eyes. ‘Then, what should we do? He’s coming over now!’

‘Why are you asking me?’ Xavier darted a glance at the envelope containing their fake invitations beside Theo. ‘Just give him that and pray that it works!’

“Pardon me, Sir, Ma’am, may I see your papers?” 

“Mon bon MonsieurImagine a sultry French lady saying this seductively...yeah., my dear husband and I were in such a terrible rush to attend the ceremony that I’m afraid we have forgotten to bring any identification,” Xavier said smoothly in his ladylike lisp. “Please, will the royal invitations we received satisfy your requirements?” 

He slowly leaned towards the soldier as he spoke and tilted his head to the side, making sure that the man’s eyes were trained on the slender curve of his shoulder and slight contour of his chest. 

The soldier paused, glancing away for a brief moment, before directing his gaze at them again. “I understand, please show me your invitations.” 

“Of course, right away~” Xavier gave Theo a kick to his lower leg discreetly, snapping him from his trance-like state. 

“Ah, yes, the invitations.” Theo quickly passed the envelope to the soldier, who cracked the seal open and unfolded the two letters.

The first soldier approached the soldier checking their invitations at that moment. “Reporting! The carriage has been cleared to pass, Sous-lieutenant.” 

He barely glanced through the contents of the forgeries before giving them back to Theo and saluting. “The Grand Palais de la Aetherium welcomes Lord and Lady Ivania to participate in Her Highness Princess Anastasia’s coming-of-age ceremony. Please proceed!”

 

---

 

The carriage jerked into motion again, the wooden wheels rattling and the muffled clip-clop of hooves breaking the tense silence inside the cabin. 

“P-praise be the Lord, our prayers were answered…” Theo mumbled, clasping his hands together and gazing up at the ceiling. 

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“Like hell they were.” Xavier smacked him lightly on his cheek. “Show me some gratitude for saving our asses there and then.” 

“Pfft, shouldn’t you be ashamed of yourself for having to resort to seducing the soldier?” Theo shook his head in disapproval. “I sure hope that poor guy doesn’t realise you have a rod in your pants.” 

“Oh, please, shut your trap.” He adjusted the hem of his gown and pushed back his ‘hair’ right as the carriage slowed down near the palace entrance. “Don’t get too cocky, the hardest stage of the plan has yet to begin. Remember our identities, and always, always, keep your cool no matter what. Got it?”

The butler opened the door for the pair, and a stoic Lord Ivania alighted from the carriage first before turning around and helping his wife, Lady Ivania, down too. 

“This way, dear distinguished guests.” The butler gave a courteous bow and invited them to enter through the heavy set doors into the palace foyer. An exquisite marble-floored reception greeted their sight, flanked by red-carpeted stairs leading to the upper floors. The high ceiling; the majestic portraits that hung from the walls; the solid furnishings of the interior all exuded a regal, refined aura that sat poorly with the two commoners. 

“To reach the main hall, you can simply go up from the east or west staircases and walk straight down the gallery,” the butler said as he motioned towards the flight of stairs on either side of the foyer. “Please help yourselves to the complimentary wine and snacks. If you’ll excuse me, I shall take my leave now.”

The pair thanked the butler for his service and took a moment to survey their surroundings. Most of the guests who had arrived earlier were mingling about the refreshment table set up at the reception, while a few were slowly making their way up to the main hall as they chatted amicably with one another.

“Sweet Lord, the wine they’re serving is the ultra-rare jubilee red wine only made in the Astria region and sold exclusively to royalty.” Lord Ivania’s mouth began to water as he stepped towards the refreshment table. “My life will be at peace if I can even get a sip of that heavenly alcohol…”  

Fortunately, Lady Ivania caught his arm in time and pulled him back close to her. 

“Hurry up, we still have to make the preparations for our getaway,” she hissed in a low whisper. 

“O-oh, right, let’s go to the second floor now,” Lord Ivania said and after a pause, added, “shall we, my beautiful wife?”

She narrowed her cold eyes at him, but reluctantly allowed him to guide her up the stairs nonetheless.

 

---

 

In an antechamber near the main hall of the palace, another pair was also busy making preparations, albeit for a different purpose. 

“Cecilla, Cecilla, listen to this part,” Anastasia said excitedly as she held her book in her hands. 

“Lady Anastasia, please stay still while I’m fixing your hair…” The head maid delicately added a thin layer of powder with her brush to make the princess’ rose-coloured strands appear fuller and thicker. She glanced up at the mirror to check the proportions and met Anastasia’s eyes in the reflection. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She chuckled. “I’m listening, you can continue with your story.”

The princess began reading the next passage aloud.

“So, the angel came to the princess the night before her birthday and told her, ‘if you so desire, just say ‘yes’ and I’ll set you free.’ 

She nodded her head without hesitation.「But, o’ mighty Angel, can you grant me a wish?」

In the morning, the princess woke up with a smile like never before. The maids and butlers were relieved to see the princess’ mood had improved, though they felt that it was too drastic of a change overnight. The King and Queen prepared to host the birthday celebration for their daughter, unaware that their daughter was acting strange ever since she had woken up. 

Just before she was due to appear in front of the guests, the princess paid a visit to her favourite servant, the head maid of the manor, and told her: 

「Thank you for everything, Celia. This shall be our last goodbye…」

「My Lady…what’s wrong?」

The princess shook her head and hid her sadness with a smile. Despite her abysmal royal life, the head maid was the only person in the manor who would show her sincerity and genuine care, so she was all but willing to see her go. Yet she had already made a promise with someone, so she steeled herself and refused to shed any tears in front of the head maid. 

「Your Highness, His Majesty is awaiting you in the Great Hall.」

The princess, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, thus made her grand and final entrance.”

Cecilla, who had been meticulously touching up her makeup the entire time, raised her eyebrows slightly. “That’s the end of the story?”

“Of course not.” Anastasia shook her head lightly and gave her an enigmatic smile. “But the rest is a secret~” 

“Hmm…” She absent-mindedly murmured as she finished the final touches and gave the princess a once-over; she was pleasantly surprised by how stunning Anastasia looked in the dazzling candlelight. Her flawless skin glowed radiantly and her pink lips shone beautifully, accentuating her innocence and youthfulness. 

“And last but not least—” she presented the silver tiara that designated the title of Princess and carefully set it in place atop her hair. “—there. All done, Lady Anastasia.” 

“Thank you so much, Cecilla.” Anastasia smiled, admiring her reflection in the mirror. 

“Then, I shall excuse myself now to serve our guests in the main hall.” The head maid bowed and opened the door. But just before she stepped out of the antechamber, she turned her head back and said, “pardon my curiosity, but may I ask what was the princess’ wish to the angel?” 

Princess Anastasia closed her book with a soft thud and closed her eyes shut. 

“...who knows?”

 

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